Security apparatus and method for controlling the same

Abstract

A security apparatus identifies a first user associated with a first terminal apparatus within an area of a house to which entry is limited by a lock apparatus, and a second user associated with a second terminal apparatus approaching the house. The security apparatus determines a requirement for unlocking for the second user, based on a relationship of the second user with respect to the first user, and then determines whether the requirement for unlocking is satisfied. When the requirement for unlocking is satisfied, the security apparatus controls unlocking of the lock apparatus.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A security apparatus comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 when (i) a first user associated with a first terminal apparatus within an area to which entry is limited by a lock apparatus and (ii) a second user associated with a second terminal apparatus approaching the area are identified, determine a requirement for unlocking in which the lock apparatus is unlocked by the second user in accordance with a relationship of the second user with respect to the first user including a level of familiarly between the first and second users; 
 determine whether the requirement for unlocking is satisfied; 
 when the requirement for unlocking is satisfied, control unlocking of the lock apparatus; 
 when information indicative of the relationship of the second user with respect to the first user is included in stored relationship information indicative of a relationship of at least one user different from the first user with respect to the first user, determine the requirement for unlocking based on the information indicative of the relationship of the second user with respect to the first user; and 
 when the information indicative of the relationship of the second user with respect to the first user is not included in the stored relationship information, determine a predetermined requirement different from the requirement for unlocking determined based on the information indicative of the relationship of the second user with respect to the first user to be the requirement for unlocking. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The security apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the stored relationship information is managed in a server that is connected to the security apparatus over a network, and 
 the processor is configured to determine the requirement for unlocking based on the stored relationship information obtained from the server over the network. 
 
     
     
       3. The security apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the processor is configured to change the requirement for unlocking for the second user to a different requirement for unlocking in accordance with a number of times or frequency of unlocking of the lock apparatus based on satisfaction of the requirement for unlocking for the second user. 
 
     
     
       4. The security apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the requirement for unlocking includes a plurality of respective requirements for unlocking, and 
 when the processor receives, from the second terminal apparatus, one or more respective pieces of information for satisfying one or more of the plurality of respective requirements for unlocking for the second user,
 the processor is configured to determine whether the one or more of the plurality of respective requirements for unlocking are satisfied by using the one or more respective pieces of information. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The security apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the requirement for unlocking includes a plurality of respective requirements of unlocking, and 
 when the processor receives, from the first terminal apparatus, an answer that is received from the second terminal apparatus, the answer being an answer that does not admit use of information either input to the second terminal apparatus or detected by the second terminal apparatus for satisfying one or more of the plurality of respective requirements of unlocking, or when the processor does not receive, from the first terminal apparatus within a predetermined period of time, an answer that admits the use of the information either input to the second terminal apparatus or detected by the second terminal apparatus for satisfying the one or more of the plurality of respective requirements of unlocking:
 the processor is configured to invalidate the information received from the second terminal apparatus, the information being the information either input the second terminal apparatus or detected by the second terminal apparatus for satisfying the one or more of the plurality of respective requirements of unlocking. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The security apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 when the processor determines the requirement for unlocking based on information indicative of the relationship of the second user with respect to the first user, and then the first terminal apparatus goes out of the area before the processor determines whether the requirement for unlocking is satisfied:
 the processor is configured to change the requirement for unlocking to a predetermined requirement that is different from the requirement for unlocking based on the information indicative of the relationship of the second user with respect to the first user. 
 
 
     
     
       7. A method for controlling a security apparatus, the method being executed by a computer, the method comprising:
 identifying (i) a first user associated with a first terminal apparatus within an area to which entry is limited by a lock apparatus and (ii) a second user associated with a second terminal apparatus approaching the area; 
 determining a requirement for unlocking of the lock apparatus for the second user in accordance with a relationship of the second user with respect to the first user including a level of familiarity between the first and second users; 
 determining whether the requirement for unlocking is satisfied; 
 controlling, when the requirement for unlocking is satisfied by the determining, unlocking for the lock apparatus; 
 determining, when information indicative of the relationship of the second user with respect to the first user is included in stored relationship information indicative of a relationship of at least one user different from the first user with respect to the first user, the requirement for unlocking based on the information indicative of the relationship of the second user with respect to the first user; and 
 determining, when the information indicative of the relationship of the second user with respect to the first user is not included in the stored relationship information, a predetermined requirement different from the requirement for unlocking determined based on the information indicative of the relationship of the second user with respect to the first user to be the requirement for unlocking.